Sunset to Sunset: God's Sabbath Rest - Messianic Singles Home

52 Sunset to Sunset: God’s Sabbath Rest Was the Sabbath Changed in the New Testament?
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Far from negating Sabbath observance, Paul’s instructions to the Colossians,
written about A.D. 62, actually affirm that gentile Christians were
indeed observing the Sabbath more than 30 years after Christ’s death and that
the Sabbath is an important reminder of vital spiritual truths for us today.
What does the historical record in the book of Acts show?
Out of all of Paul’s writings, the three passages discussed earlier in this
chapter are the ones commonly used in attempting to prove he did away
with Sabbath observance. However, as we have seen, two of those passages
do not even mention the Sabbath, and the third confirms that gentile
believers were actually keeping the Sabbath, since Paul told them not to let
themselves be judged by outsiders for how they kept it.
But in addition to Paul’s words, his actions showed that he never
intended to abolish or change the Sabbath and that he observed it himself.
The book of Acts, written by Paul’s companion Luke, makes this clear.
Acts 13 records that, 10 to 15 years after Paul was miraculously converted,
he and his companions traveled to Antioch in Asia Minor, where
they “went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day” (verse 14). After being
invited to speak to the congregation, Paul addressed both Jews and gentile
proselytes (verse 16), describing how the coming of Jesus Christ had been
foretold throughout the Old Testament scriptures.
His message was received so enthusiastically that “when the Jews
went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might
be preached to them the next Sabbath” (verse 42). Notice that the gentiles
in attendance wanted Paul to teach them more about Christ on the next
Sabbath. Why? Because these gentiles were clearly already keeping the
Sabbath with the Jews in the synagogue!
What was Paul’s response to the gentiles’ request? “On the next Sabbath
almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God” (verse 44).
Had Paul not believed in the Sabbath, he could easily have told them to
come the next day or any other day and he would teach them. Instead, he
waited until the following Sabbath, when “almost the whole city,” Jew and
gentile alike, came out to hear his message!
The gentiles of the city, hearing that Paul had been commissioned to
preach the gospel to the gentiles, “were glad and glorified the word of the
Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (verses
45-48). The Sabbath, commanded by God, was still the day for rest,
assembly and instruction in God’s way of life.
About five years later, in what is today northern Greece, Paul “came to
Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his
custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them
from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to
suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus whom I preach
to you is the Christ’” (Acts 17:1-3). Here, some 20 years after Jesus’ death
and resurrection, Paul’s custom was still to go to the synagogue on the
Sabbath to discuss the Scriptures and teach about Jesus Christ!
He continued to teach both Jews and gentiles: “And some of them
were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks [gentiles],
and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas” (verse 4). So
Paul, specifically commissioned to preach the gospel to the gentiles (Acts
9:15; 13:47), taught the gentiles in the synagogues on the Sabbath!
Several years later he went to the Greek city of Corinth, where “he
reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded both Jews and
A Sign of God’s People
God reveals several important points
about the Sabbath day in Exodus 31:13-
17: “Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for
it is a sign between Me and you throughout
your generations, that you may know that I
am the Lord who sanctifies you. You shall
keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to
you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely
be put to death . . .
“Therefore the children of Israel shall
keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath
throughout their generations as a perpetual
covenant. It is a sign between Me
and the children of Israel forever; for in six
days the Lord made the heavens and the
earth, and on the seventh day He rested
and was refreshed.”
Note first the duration of the Sabbath
as an identifying sign of God’s people:
“Therefore the children of Israel shall . . .
observe the Sabbath throughout their generations
as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign
. . . forever.”
How could God state that the Sabbath
is to be kept forever if He planned to later
abolish it? And how could He waive that
requirement for the early Church—which,
after all, was overwhelmingly Jewish?
Obviously, either God is inconsistent or
theologians’ claims about Him are inconsistent.
Scripture assures us the problem
isn’t with God (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8;
James 1:17).
Notice also the purpose God gave for
keeping the Sabbath: “that you may know
that I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” God
says keeping the Sabbath holy is a reminder
to those He calls that He is the One who
has sanctified them, setting them apart and
establishing a special relationship with them
as His people.
This passage also tells us that the Sabbath
is a two-way sign. To those keeping the Sabbath,
it identifies the true God—“the Lord
[who] made the heavens and the earth”—
as the One they worship. His people rest
on that day, as He did, in acknowledgment
that He is their Creator.
To God, His Sabbath distinguishes those
who believe in keeping His commandments
from those who rely on their own
reasoning for determining how they should
live and relate to Him. Those who keep
holy His Sabbath day—the only day of the
week God has ever set apart—proclaim,
by their actions, their acceptance of Him
as the supreme authority over how they
should live, think and worship.